Dj. Tisdall et al., FSH RECEPTOR GENE-EXPRESSION DURING OVARIAN FOLLICLE DEVELOPMENT IN SHEEP, Journal of molecular endocrinology, 15(3), 1995, pp. 273-281
A key question in elucidating the role of FSH in ovarian function is t
o determine when during follicular growth the FSH receptor first appea
rs. The aim of this study was to examine the site and time of FSH rece
ptor gene expression during early follicular growth. This study was ca
rried out on ovaries of adult sheep during the luteal and prostaglandi
n-induced follicular phase of the oestrous cycle and also on ovaries o
f fetal sheep at 90, 100, 120 and 135 days of gestation (term=day 147)
. Using reverse transcription-PCR and a set of PCR primers spanning ex
ons 8/9/10, two partial FSH receptor cDNAs (500 and 310 bp) were isola
ted from adult sheep ovary. It was shown by sequencing that exon 8 was
deleted in the 310 bp cDNA, implying that this was part of an alterna
tively spliced FSH receptor transcript. Using RNA in situ hybridisatio
n on ovaries of adult sheep, FSH receptor mRNA was observed in granulo
sa cells of early preantral follicles with one to two cell layers and
it was seen that gene expression continued throughout folliculogenesis
into advanced stages of atresia. Moreover, in the fetus, FSH receptor
gene expression was detected in follicles with two or more layers of
granulosa cells in ovaries taken at 100, 120 and 135 days of gestation
. These results suggest that the FSH receptor gene is expressed after
the granulosa cells of a follicle have begun to divide but not during
the earliest stages of follicle growth, namely the transformation of a
primordial follicle to a primary follicle.